Today we will cover: Why use a designer? What to look for in a designer Top 10 issues to discuss with a designer Five things most designers hate

1. At some point, most business owners will need to
commission some creative design whether it’s a logo, a
website or even the humble business card. But where do
you start? What should you look for when choosing the
right creative designer for you and your business? What do
you need to do in order to give your designer the right
information so the end product is fit-for-purpose? What
questions should your designer be asking you? In this
webinar we’ll be looking at all of these questions (and
more) and you’ll also gain insight into the thought process
that goes into a piece of creative.
There is a link at the end of this deck to the associated
blog and webinar recording.

3. Help, I need
a designer!

4. Today we will cover:
Why use a designer?
What to look for in a designer
Top 10 issues to discuss with a designer
Five things most designers hate

5. Why use a designer?

6. 1. They’re the design experts - it’s what they dobest
2. Frees you up to do what you do best
3. They have the experience to bring to the table
4. Collaboration is a critical business principle
5. They can bring insight and challenge assumptions
6. They can liaise with other professionals - web& print

7. Six questions to ask yourself
when choosing a designer

8. 1. Have they got the right skillset /expertise?
2. Have they got experience in working in your sector?
3. Have they got a strong portfolio?
4. Do they ask the right questions (design brief)?
5. Do they ‘get’ you - are your values aligned?
6. Do they challenge your assumptions - notjust ‘yes’

9. Ten top issues to discuss
with your designer

10. 1. What do youwant?
2. Why do you want it?
3. Who is youraudience?
4. Who is yourcompetition?
5. What do you want to say?
6. What’s the background?
7. What don’t youwant
8. What boundaries arethere?
9. What’s your budget?
10. What’s your timeframe?

11. 1. What do you want?
Be really clear about what you want?
What’s the scope of the project?
Any particular preferences?
Be willing to consider alternative options

12. 2. Why do you want it?
What’s the purpose of this piece of design /project?
What do you want to it to achieve?
What constitutes success?
Where does this fit into your overall strategy?
Be willing to consider alternative options

13. 3. Who is your audience?
Will this be seen primarily to existing clients?
Is this reaching out to a new audience?
How long have you had a presence in this marketplace?
Where is your audience? What spaces do they inhabit?
How crowded is this marketplace?

14. 4. Who is your competition?
Who is your direct and indirect competition?
Where are they based?
What are they doing /not doing?
How do you compare?
How can you stand out /innovate?

15. 5. What do want to say?
What content have you got?
What overall message do you want todeliver? Are
you writing the content? Is someone else?
What images have you got?
Have you got copyright for them? (Not from Google)

16. 6. What’s the history / background?
Have you tried this before?
Did it work? Why? Why not?
Why are you doing this now?
Where have you been? Where are you going?

17. 7. What don’t you want?
Be really clear about what you don’t want?
Are there any styles to avoid?
Any pet hates? (we all have them!)

18. 8. What boundaries are in place?
Are there any ‘no-go’ areas /restrictions Have
you got any brand guidelines inplace?
Have you got your logo /fonts /palette available?
Does there have to be certain elements on the work?

19. 9. What’s your budget?
Talk about money early on - beupfront
Be aware of what you are /are not willing to spend Set
a realistic budget (ifpossible)
Are there any payment terms that need mentioning?

20. 10. What’s your timeframe?
How urgent is this piece of work?
When do you want it delivered by?
Set a realistic timeframe (ifpossible)
Be preprared to pay a premium if it’surgent
Take into account print times (+ 3-5 days from sign-off)

21. Summary points
What do you want?
Why do you want it?
Who is your audience?
Who is your competition?
What do you want to say?
What’s the background?
What don’t you want
What boundaries are there?
What’s your budget?
What’s your timeframe?

22. Other useful topics...
Lines of communication?
Project management?
Who has responsibility for sign-off?
Any other stakeholders who may need input?
SET EXPECTATIONS FROM THE OUTSET!

23. Five things most designers hate

24. 1. “I don’t know what I want
but I’ll know when I see it.”
-----
Be clear about what you want
Have some frame of reference
Give the potter some clay to work with!

25. 2. “I like this but let me pass it around my
colleagues /friends /bloke in the pub /pet dog.”
-----
Be clear at the outset whothe decision makers are
Multiple stakeholders increase timescale
If you think it’s right - it probably is

26. 3. “I’ve got £500 and I want a full rebrand and
ecommerce website by the weeks’ end. Is thisOK?”
-----
Have a realistic budget and timescale
What are you willing to compromise on ifurgent?
It’s also OK to not know how much things cost

27. 4. “If you take on this project for free,
I can give you loads of business later on”
-----
Our work has a value - please respect it
Let us decide who to give discounts to

28. 5. “My wife’s sisters’ uncle has a nephew twice
removed who’s designed this logo in Paint. Is itOK?
-----
We don’t mind working with externally designed
material but... is the artwork in a range of useable
formats for a variety of uses and sizes?
If we have to redraw it, there may well be a cost.

29. In Summary...
Be clear about what you do and don’t want Be
clear about your expectations of the project
Be clear on what you are/are not willing tospend
The more information you can give the better Only
work with a designer you ‘get’ and who ‘get’ you Be willing
to be challenged and think outside the box!

30. Enjoy the creative process!

31. audaciouscreative.co.uk
stu@audaciouscreative.co.uk
07824 862952

32. BizSmart aims to help business owners of small and medium sized
businesses to create value and scale their businesses through sound
practical business support by providing insight, Clarity combined with
a real determination to help you succeed.
You can access webinars and presentations like this and more besides
through our SmartRoom service here
You can read the associated blog and listen to a live recording of this
presentation by clicking here
You can read Stu’s profile here

33. •Need a sounding board for your ideas?
•Need to know what to prioritise?
•Want someone to challenge your assumptions?

34. BizSmart –
Where Smart people go to surround themselves with other
Smart people, to gain business success.